TANK SUPERIORITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 July 1941, Page 5

TANK SUPERIORITY

CLAIMED BY RUSSIANS FIERCE FIGHTING IN SEVERAL AREAS. "ENEMY CANNOT STAND BAYONET." LONDON, July 4. The Stockholm correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says reports from Berlin claim that German Panzer columns have reached Dorogobuj (45 miles east of Smolensk), but the main German army on the White Russian front is apparently still held up before Minsk, which is believed to be in Russian hands. This means that there are large Soviet forces in the rear of the Panzer columns, whose position may shortly become critical unless their supply columns are able to reach them. A Moscow communique this morning states: “Throughout yesterday our troops waged fierce battles in the Dvinsk, Minsk, and Tarnopol sectors against large motorised enemy units. The enemy everywhere has been meeting with stubborn resistance from our troops, devastating artillery fire and crushing blows from the Soviet air force. Thousands of German dead, blazing tanks and enemy aircraft are strewn on the battlefield. “In the Dvinsk sector there was a major battle throughout the day along the southern bank of Dvina River, with very fierce fighting in the Jakobstade and Dvinsk sectors. Only after bringing up fresh reserves did the enemy manage to cross to the north bank of the river, where fierce fighting was resumed. “In the Minsk area our troops in a bayonet charge inflicted heavy loss on the enemy. The enemy cannot stand the bayonet. Fierce fighting is also in progress in the direction of Borisov, where co-ordinated efforts by our infantry, tanks, artillery and aircraft caused heavy enemy casualties. The fighting revealed that the enemy tanks avoid clashes with our heavy and medium tanks, and also that wherever our aircraft appear we rapidly dominate the air.” Reports today do not mention the Bessarabian front, where the Germans claimed to have thrust across the Pruth in a pinters movement against the southern Polish front, and also no further mention of the offensive on the Finnish frontier. An American commentator in Ankara says the German losses in men and material against the Russians has been enormous. He also states that the local German community has expressed anxiety at the German progress, which is behind schedule. Whereas it was first believed that the war would be over in from four to six weeks, it is now said that it will last at least two and a half months.

BERESINA CROSSED

AT SEVERAL POINTS. ACCORDING TO BERLIN REPORT. (Received This Day, 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, July 4. A Berlin communique states that the Beresina has been crossed at several points and that the Latvian-Russian frontier has been reached.